Let Me Save You
by DarkOpalDragon
Summary: *AU* Yugi and Yami have both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami gets in over his head with his little fascination?
1. Watching

**Disclaimer: **As much as I want to own Yu-Gi-Oh and Evanescence and all things pertaining to both of the aforementioned thingies, I don't. *bawls* I do, however own this plot. SO THERE!

**Summary: **Yugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami's innocent fascination with the other turns into a something that he can not get out of his head? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

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**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter I: Watching**

The crimson-eyed boy sat in the back of the café in a shady corner. He lounged lazily, though he kept an air of power and awareness wrapped around him like a blanket. He toyed with the handle of his coffee mug while staring intently ahead of him. His vision was filled with the sight of a small teen with tri-colored hair. The boy was sitting by himself in a two-person booth against the wall, smiling sadly at his hands; the same hands that gripped the mug of tea on the table in front of him. Looking closer at the boys hands, Yami noticed a couple of bruises and several scrapes.

_'Strange,'_ he thought, _'that's the first time I've seen those. Has he had them long?'_

The teen in the corner had been coming to this café at the same time every day for the last three months. Every day he sat in the same booth and ordered the same thing- one large coffee, black. However, it was only recently- within the last two weeks- that this other boy, who looked almost exactly like the teen in the corner, started coming in. He, too, came in every day. However, while Yami came in every day at four o'clock on the dot, this other boy arrived around 4:15 and 4:30, never at the same time two days in a row. Today he arrived at 4:21.

**~I've been watching you from a distance~**

Sometimes, it's only happened twice, a pale skinned boy with white hair and brown eyes came into the café. He was also petite, like the small boy in the booth, but he was definitely more feminine. His face was soft and fragile-looking. He never noticed the boy with tri-colored hair right away, but he greeted him cheerfully when he finally came around. Today was no different from the other days. The white-haired boy came in and went up to the counter. When he finished ordering and paying for his drink he stood at the counter, hands in his pockets, looking around at nothing in particular. When he saw the teen in the both he grinned.

"Yugi!"

_'Yugi...'_ Yami thought. _'So the boy's name is Yugi...'_

Yugi jumped slightly and looked up in surprise. When he realized who had spoken to him he smiled mildly back.

"Oh, hey Ryou."

_'And Ryou is the other one...'_ Yami mused.

The girl behind the counter set Ryou's drink on the counter for him. With a polite 'thank you,' Ryou grabbed his drink and walked to Yugi.

"How have you been? Is winter vacation treating you nicely?"

Yami leaned forward in his chair to see his miniature face better. Something in his eyes reminded him distinctly of... hurt? The boy was hiding something from this Ryou, who Yami assumed was Yugi's friend.

_'Hurt?'_ Yami asked silently of no one but himself. _'Why is he hurting?'_

**~The distance sees through your disguise~**

Yugi quickly erased the pain from his eyes before looking up at Ryou and smiling slightly. "I'm fine. How are you?"

_'Fine... Fucked up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional.'_ Yami gave a soft smile thinking the acronym he had heard so often.

"I've been good!" He glanced up and out the door hurriedly before telling the other, "I'd better be going now though. It was nice to see you."

Yami's brow furrowed in thought. _'False sincerity? Why?'_

"Yeah..." Yugi replies, turning once more to his drink. "Bye."

They sat in silence again after Ryou's departure, Yugi staring at his cup with his hands around it, and Yami staring at Yugi while occasionally sipping from his mug. The waitress came back to Yami, asking if he wanted anything else. His answer was the same as always.

"No thank you, just this," Lifting his mug slightly.

He had broken his watch on Yugi to answer the girl. Now, when he looked back, the purple-eyes of the teen he'd grown accustomed to watching were fixed on his hands. Those hands he lifted up from his mug, examining them, yet not seeing. Using his right hand, he pulled back the sleeve of his blue jacket, revealing a bruised forearm. His arm flipped over to show the soft underside, which had several scabbed over cuts that harshly contrasted against the pale white of his skin.

Yami flinched slightly when he saw the cuts. _'Yugi, who did this to you?'_

As if he heard Yami's thought, Yugi quickly pulled his sleeve down to his wrist again, wincing as the cloth scraped across his wounds. Yugi picked up his mug and finished off his tea. Standing up, he put his money on the table and went out into the cold night, hugging himself to fend off the cold. Not long after, Yami followed suit.

**~All I want from you is your hurting~**

Stepping outside he checked up and down the street. The kid was just at the corner of the street, waiting for the cars to pass before he crossed. The crimson-eyed teen started to follow without.

_'No,'_ he shook his head, _'don't follow him.'_ He turned to head the opposite way. _'Why can't I get him out of my head?! He just looks so lost. Everyday he looks more and more defeated.'_

**~I want to heal you~**

He turned his head to watch as Yugi continued walking down the street. Suddenly two forms jumped out of an alley way and grabbed the spiky-haired teen, one hand over his mouth to prevent him from screaming.

"Yugi!" Yami cried out in horror before running towards the alley as quickly as his legs would take him through the snow.

**~I want to save you from the dark~**


	2. Poison

**Authoress Note: **Holy crack! You like it! You really like it! Yay! Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!! When I was first writing it I was like "Yay! I'm so damn excited!" and in the middle of class (I've been writing this in summer school) I would burst into a smile and clap quietly (all because I was so happy I was making so much progress), drawing some rather weird looks from the people around me. -.-;; But then as I was typing it up it seemed to get shorter and shorter as I edited it, cutting and pasting everywhere around this thing. I didn't think it would get a very good response. But it did! Thank you all so much!

**Another Note:** Somewhere in this chapter the darn story just stopped going where I wanted it to, (actually, this whole story started out differently and changed into something totally not what I had in mind), so if it seems a little... off... now you know why!

**Disclaimer: **As much as I want to own Yu-Gi-Oh and Evanescence and all things pertaining to both of the aforementioned thingies, I don't. *bawls* I do, however own this plot. SO THERE!

**Summary: **Yugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami's innocent fascination with the other turns into a something that he can not get out of his head? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

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**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter II: Poison**

Yami ran as fast as he could to the dark alley before him.

_'Why are they doing this?!'_

He paid no heed to the few cars in the street as he ran across. One slammed on its breaks to avoid hitting Yami, but he just kept running. He turned into the dark alley and stopped, panting, to allow his vision to adjust before advancing. He looked around quickly. He saw them; down in the middle of the alley, close to the right wall. One seemed to be struggling with something while the other raised his arm and hit the thing in front of the first.

_'Yugi.'_ Yami decided angrily. He crept towards them quickly and silently.

"Did you miss us, Runt?" a gruff male's voice asked. The question was followed with a soft whimper.

Another voice, this time harsh but somewhat high-pitched, spoke up, "Yeah, Pipsqueak. It's been almost tow days since your last beating."

Yami stopped. He was just a few feet behind them now, with no plan. He looked around, trying to think of something he could do. He spotted a metal trash can, picked it up, and used it to knock away the guy that was not holding Yugi. The second one looked behind him in surprise. The shock loosened his grip on the small teen, and when his face met with the trash can, he stumbled, releasing Yugi as he fell next to his buddy in the snow.

Yugi faltered and fell onto his knees before crawling desperately towards Yami. Yami pulled the smaller boy up to stand. The purple-eyed teen took this as a sign of aggression and his body became rigid with fear.

**~Give unto me your troubles~**

"Calm down, it'll be okay." Yami tried to reassure him. He pulled the small teen behind him so that he was between Yugi and the two attackers. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The two men were starting to stand up, anger blazed clearly in their eyes.

"Who are you?" They spat. As they advanced, Yami caught the scent of beer on the cold night's air.

_'They're drunk.'_ He realized in annoyance. _'I should have known.'_

Instead of replying, Yami prepared to fight. He suspected that they would probably beat him, were they sober, but in their drunken state he had a chance. Still, there were two of them and only one of him, and the alcohol in their bodies could cause them to do things they wouldn't normally do.

The crimson-eyed teen let out a deep breath. _'I'll just have to do this.' He shrugged his shoulders and rolled his neck to get ready mentally and physically. Afterwards, he glares at the two men who were slowly advancing in a casual manner._

"You will not touch this boy again." Yami boomed powerfully.

The two laughed. The taller of them spoke up. "And who's gonna to stop up?" He was the source of the higher-pitched voice.

Yami put his chin up higher in defiance as he stepped forward to meet them. "I am."

They laughed again, this time chuckling with arrogance. The teen stood fast, surveying them as they giggled drunkenly. Yami had no doubts that they had had more than just a few drinks. Ever aware of the frightened teen behind him, Yami stepper even closer to move the drunks away. The pair's laughter had stopped by the time they stood merely a foot away from each other.

"An' just whadaya think yer gonna do 'bout it?" The shorter or the couple slurred. Yami's lack of reply and stubborn glare annoyed the others. The taller raised his arm and went to backhand the opposing teen when he reached his boiling point. Just as he was swinging his arm down, Yami caught it and twisted with all his might. Pain forced the man down to his knees.

At first the man's partner in crime was completely oblivious to what was happening to his friend. When realization set in, he reacted by ramming his fist into Yami's stomach, causing Yami to release the arm he held and double over in pain and breathlessness.

**~I'll endure all your suffering~**

The one that punched him helped the other stand up, all the while Yami was straightening and preparing himself again. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder and found that Yugi still stood where he was left, eyes wide in shock and fright. Yami turned his head back to watch the others who were standing as if challenging him to attack. He refused to give, and yelled to Yugi.

"Yugi! Get out of here!"

Yugi stiffened, his eyes growing wider. _'How... How does he know my name?! And who is he? Why does he look so much like me?!' Yami speaking to him made Yugi realize the similarities in their appearances. They both have the same spiky red, black, and blonde hair- though in the darkness the color was hard to discern- they wore similar clothing- loose fitting jeans and a blue jacket- from what he could see. __'How did he know that I was in trouble? Is he... Is he a... An angel?'_

By the time Yugi had finished his thoughts, Yami and the others were back at it, Yami waiting and estimating the impact of his punches, while the other two would randomly jump at Yami and try to hit him. Yami dodged them almost every time; only two punches had landed, neither of which could cause terrible pain. Backing up against the wall, Yami looked around for something he could use. There, about two feet away from him, was a long thick plank of wood. Darting toward it, he grabbed the plank and then swung it around against the shorter bully who fell to the side, knocking the other over and into the snow. Yami too think opportunity to make sure Yugi had left.

He stole a quick looks over his shoulder. Finding Yugi still there, his anger rose.

"Yugi! _Go_! Get out _now_!" I command him harshly.

But Yugi still stood there as stiff as the board that Yami was holding.

'Why isn't he leaving?' he yelled inside his head. "Yugi! Listen to me! Leave! _Now_!"

**~Place onto me your burden~**

Yugi continued staring. Suddenly he opened his mouth and yelled, "Behind you!"

Yami turned around just in time to see a fist come flying at his face. The connection was solid and Yami stumbled backwards at the contact. His foot slid out from under him in the slippery snow and he fell on his back, looking straight up at Yugi.

Yugi stared down at him with a look of sad fear in his eyes before he turned and ran.

_'Finally,'_ he sighed as he stood up. The others were up as well. The one with the high-pitched voice held something in his left fist. In one quick and skillful movement, a flash of silver sprang from his hand, and Yami recognized the silver to be the steel blade of a knife.

_'Ah, fuck.'_

He had to think fast. The two were advancing steadily, though not very quickly. Thoughts tore through his brain. Thoughts of why he had dived in and taken this fight upon himself, thoughts of how he could get out of this alive, and thoughts of what they may do to him if they catch him.

_'Fool,'_ he scoffed to himself. _'You know why you did this. You did it for the boy. For Yugi. You at least stand a chance. He, on the other hand, would have crumbled like stale bread. They said they had done this before, but how many more times could the child take it?'_

No thoughts of how to win forced there way through Yami's thick skull, despite how many other thoughts flooded in. By the time the others were a meager two feet from him Yami finally had a plan of sorts.

_'Do _not_ give up. Fights like your life is over if you lose this. Oh wait... it is.'_

When the shorter grabbed for him, Yami lashed out, punching with both fists as hard as possible. Ducking around the punches, the tormenter was able to grab Yami's arms with a bone crushing force. He turned him around so that Yami's back was to the man's front with his arms held down behind his back. The taller let out a hideous laugh that made Yami want to claw his ear drums out.

"Looks like we have you now, Hero. Did you really think that you could save the midget and get off free?"

Yami felt the man holding him smirk. He shuddered as the man's hot breath spilled onto the back of his neck as he spoke. "Yeah, Hero! Yeh should learn that in real life th' good guys never win!"

Yami's resolve strengthened. "It's better to die protecting someone than live life as the worthless scum that you two are."

The face of the man in front of him contorted with rage. Clearly he didn't like hearing the truth. His arm shot out, quick as lightning, to strike Yami's across the face. The punch made Yami's vision blur, mixing the man in with the snow and the wall behind him. He shook his head, laughing in victory to clear his head up.

"Do what you will to me. I've already one." The ruby-eyed boy challenged.

If Yami thought that the man's face could not get uglier or angrier, he was wrong. His mouth twisted up in a snarl and his eyes widened in outrage. All of a sudden he let out a yell and swung his arm up; the arm that held the knife. The silver of the blade flashed in the beginning of the movement, warning Yami of the other's action. Just in time, he wiggled loose enough to bend down, revealing instead the neck of the man holding him. The grip on his arms disappeared as the short man reached up to claw at his neck, which was now spilling a warm red liquid. It was as if a dam had broke, releasing its contents in a huge flash flood large enough to drown the world. As his friend let out a cry of horror, the man sunk to his knees. It wasn't long before he collapsed completely face first into the snow, choking and sputtering as the last of his life seeped out of him.

Yami's spiky-haired head looked down at the dead attacker with a look on his face that clearly said "Serves you right" while the other man stared on in horror and rage. When Yami lifted his head to look at the other, the man looked right back at him.

"You..." he began, "You killed him!"

Yami shrugs. "If you say so."

Angered by the nonchalant attitude of the spiky-haired boy in front of him, let's out a thunderous shout of indignation. Before Yami had time to comprehend what was happening, the man had flipped the blade around so that the hilt of the dagger was at the base of his hand. He lifted his arm high above Yami's head right before slamming the hard metal of the dagger's hilt into Yami's temple. Yami sank to his knees next to the dead body that was surrounded by dark red all around in the snow. Once again Yami's vision clouded over, allowing him to see the surviving man run off before the blanket of darkness completely enveloped him.

**~I'll drink your deadly poison~**


	3. Death

**Authoress Note: **Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT REVIEWS! I love reading them! They brighten up my day! Yippee! Eh... Hehe!

**Another Note:** If there is one thing you need to know about me as an authoress thingy, it is that I am a very indecisive writer. Because of that, I must tell you that I might make two versions of this fic, but I'm not sure yet. If I do, this one will be yaoi and the other will be a brotherly type version. If I don't, that means that you get to decide if it is yaoi or brotherly-like. Kay? Okay then! On with the fic!

**Disclaimer: **As much as I want to own Yu-Gi-Oh and Evanescence and all things pertaining to both of the aforementioned thingies, I don't. *bawls* I do, however own this plot. SO THERE!

**Summary: **AUYugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami's innocent fascination with the other turns into a something that he can not get out of his head? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

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**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter III: Death**

He dreamed:

_He was falling. Out of what, he did not know. All he knew is that he was plummeting out of the sky with a great and terrible velocity. When he tried to breathe his lungs refused to expand and take in the life sustaining air. He felt a wetness trickle down his face from his eyes and he swatted at his face sourly. Red filled his sight as his hand flew across his line of vision. Blood. He was crying blood. Sharp pains attacked his head as if millions of daggers were jammed into his skull and wiggled around to mix up his brain. He continued falling. Suddenly, water swallowed him up and he stared up into the sky he had just come out of, the scarlet of his life stretching from the surface of the water to where he was. He thought humans were supposed to float, but he just kept sinking._

_'Does this mean I'm not human?'_

He woke with a start. Trying to figure out where he was, he sat up slightly, supporting himself with his arms, and looked around. Darkness greeted him, showing nothing. He blinked rapidly, pleading with some unknown force to give him back his sight. Collapsing onto his back once more in defeat, he let out a strangled anguished cry. Breathing hard he closed his eyes, hoping that once he opened them he would be able to see what was around him.

Yami's eyes opened to reveal an almost-mirror-image of him hovering above him, apprehension written clearly in his eyes and other facial features. The image startled him and he jumped slightly. Yugi was kneeling, his calves folded under him so he sat on them slightly, with his hands resting on his knees. Seeing that Yami had opened his eyes and seemed like he was going to keep them open this time, Yugi smiled a sad yet hopeful smile.

"Are you... Are you okay?" He asked timidly.

Yami blinked up at the boy in confusion. _'But he ran... Why is he here again?' Seeing Yugi look away in uneasiness, he noticed that he hadn't answered and jumped to do so. "I... I think... I think so." He, himself, wasn't quite sure. He struggled to sit up and his miniature moved back a bit, giving him space. "Ah!" His hand flew to his temple and his face warped with pain. The headache from his dream was real. Feeling a warm and sticky wetness under his fingers, he pulled his hand back. As in his dream, his fingers were coated with red from his temple. His memory surged. __'Oh, right. The taller one... his knife...'_

"I- I didn't know what to do," the boy began. "I ran, like you told me to, but I ended up back at the alley somehow." He paused, staring at Yami's face to see how he would react. When he saw nothing but the complete attention of the somewhat disoriented teen, he continued. "I saw you lying in the snow on your side and... And..." he looked at his hands. "Did you kill that guy next to you?"

Yami looked down and shook his head no. "It was the taller one. He lashed out at me with his knife but I ducked. That dead man was holding me and he caught the blow that was meant for me."

"Oh." Yugi fiddled with the sleeves of his jacket. Yami wasn't sure if the other doubted his story or if he was just unsure of how to act now. Taking some of the tension out of the air, Yami stood up; it took a while but he managed without the offered help of Yugi.

He looked around and was certain that they were no longer in the alley. "Where are... How did we...?"

Tugging his sleeves down to the middle of his palm, Yugi stood up too. "We're in Domino Park. I didn't know where to go or what to do, so I dragged you as far as I could. This is where we ended up."

Yami nodded in understanding. Something seemed to be troubling the smaller boy and he looked down at him. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

Yugi nodded slowly. "I'm okay, just a little shaken up..." He trailed off, causing Yami to peer down at him and study his face which was bent down to the ground.

"Go on."

Yugi faltered. _'How did this man know that there was more? It's like he _knows_ that there is something more and that he isn't just guessing.' Stumbling on his words, he managed to reply. "Well, you see, it's just that... Well I don't see how..."_

The boy trailed off again and Yami smiled patiently. "Yugi, what's wrong?"

The spiky-haired boy froze, still staring at the ground. Slowly his head rose to look up at Yami, his eyes wide once more. "That's just it!" He exclaimed. "How can you know my name when I have never seen you before in my life?! How did you know that I was in trouble?! Why would you risk your life to save someone you didn't know at all?!" His head fell once again and his fingers found their way back to the ends of his sleeves. He continued in a voice that was nearly inaudible. "Why would you risk your life to save something as unimportant as me?"

Yami was dumbfounded. _'This is what he thinks of himself? This is why he's always so sad at the café!'_ He shook his head stupidly. "No, Yugi. You're not worthless..." How could he make him understand?

Just then a crash was heard nearby. Their heads snapped up suddenly as they recognized the sound of glass shattering against cement and slightly muffled by and inch or so of snow, followed by loud drunken cursing; drunken cursing in the same voice that belonged to the man who killed his friend not too long ago. They saw him stumbling towards the park, taking another beer out of his jacket, since the other was just destroyed. He popped the top and took a swig, afterwards wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He continued stumbling down the road in this manner: tripping slowly down the road and occasionally gulping from his beer. While he continued on, Yami and Yugi stood like deer caught in the headlights of a car. Suddenly, the man stopped and stared at the two teens in the park.

"You!" He yelled while pointing. Who he was pointing at, they were not sure as his arm wavered like a flag in the wind.

**~Why should I care if they hurt you~**

Without a word, Yugi turned and ran, the drunk cursing him with every step.

**~Somehow it matters more to me~**

Yami's anger towards the man was once more triggered. From deep within him, Yami felt a powerful surge of energy. Pain grew inside his body, intensifying until it forced the crimson-eyed teen to his knees and bent him over in two. Sweat ran down his forehead. When he felt as if he were about to burst he screamed. The pain he was trying to force down was released and it pushed its way out of his body.

**~Than if I were hurting myself~**

A brilliant purple light laced with red streaks of lightning shot out of his hands and chest, racing straight towards the intoxicated bastard before him. The light penetrated the murderer's eyes and mouth. It swirled around, filling his body until he could take no more. Blood ran from his ears, eyes, and nose. Yami's light cut itself from the teen, the remains disappearing into the man already near his death. The man crumpled on the icy floor beneath him as the world around him dimmed, once again in the absence of the light.

**~Save you (save you)~**

He stood, balancing on his shaky legs. His legs were spread to keep his balance as he breathed heavily and stared at the man he had just killed.

_'I... I didn't... I could never mean to...'_

His thoughts were abandoned as he turned and sped off into the night in the direction of his home.

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Oy! I'm so sorry for taking so long! I know it wasn't that long of a wait, but I had this written Monday and I didn't have time to post it. And now guess what?! FF.net hates me! It wasn't letting me upload until now! Sorry for making all of you wait! Hopefully this chapter will sustain you until the next one, which may not be for a few days. I am currently suffering from writer's block. I'll try to write at least some everyday, though, and I swear I'll try to have it up by Thursday at the latest! Thanks, all, for reading!


	4. Dreams

**Authoress Note: **Bet you thought I'd never update, huh? Well let me just say this: I'M SORRY!!!!! I'm a horrible person, but here is a long chapter just for you! (My longest yet! Yay!)

**Another Note:** Um... There is none... Go read, my minions! READ!

**Disclaimer: **As much as I want to own Yu-Gi-Oh and Evanescence and all things pertaining to both of the aforementioned thingies, I don't. *bawls* I do, however own this plot. SO THERE!

**Summary: **AUYugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami's innocent fascination with the other turns into a something that he can not get out of his head? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

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****

**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter IV: Dreams**

He ran until he reached his destination. Yami took a sharp turn and burst through the white door that led into his house. Slamming the door, he fell on his knees, shaking and panting from exhaustion.

_'I didn't! I couldn't have! That light... Amethyst with crimson?!'_

Turning these thoughts around in his mind, Yami pushed himself up from the ground, forcing his quaking legs forward. He had meant to make it to his bedroom, but as he reached the couch, he fell upon it, allowing sleep to wash over him.

**~*~*~**

When Yugi reached the game shop he ran in and up the stairs to his room. Grandpa was out of town, so it did not matter how much noise he made. He flopped on his back on his full-sized bed. Closing his eyes, he replayed what had just happened in the park. His eyes jolted open suddenly and his breathing started to come quickly.

_'That... Man! I left him! No! I'm so stupid! How could I do that?! No! Please let him be okay!'_ Yugi stood up and began pacing his floor, screaming at himself mentally. _'I'm so stupid! How could I have abandoned him like that?! What if something happens to him? I could never forgive myself!'_

Part of him scoffed at his spiky-haired self. _'What could you have done? You're worthless. Pathetic. Weak.'_

The lavender-eyed teen broke inside, falling to his knees on the floor with tears streaming down his face.

_'I can't do this anymore!'_ Standing up he tore his jacket off his torso and headed for his desk. A simple pocket knife lay near lay near the edge. A sad smile formed upon his mouth as he picked up the blade. Last time those two attacked him, this knife had serviced him in the same way he intended to use it tonight. His stare moved from the knife to his arms, surveying the gashes already occupying his arms. He placed the cold metal against his skin, reveling in the feel of it before pushing down. As blood dripped down hi arm, tears dropped from the purple eyes to mix with it. Yugi moved his knife and cut it into a spot higher up.

The spiky-haired boy cried harder. He picked up his knife to cut again. Losing control, the knife slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor. Yugi crashed to his knees beside it, choking and sobbing. It was not long before his eyes closed to rest.

_'I'm sorry,'_ he wept before allowing rest to come.

**~*~*~**

Yami awoke, or so he thought, to stare into grey mist enveloping lush green trees and thick green grass.

_'Oh no...'_ he groaned. _'Where am I this time?'_

Squinting his eyes, he peered around, hoping to see something through the fog. There, huddled on the ground to his right, a small form lay, almost completely covered in the mist. Yami stepped forward hesitantly, unsure of who- or what- the form was. Spiky tri-colored hair became visible as the teen approached.

"Yugi!" he screamed. His pace quickened to a near-jog. He crouched down beside the boy as he reached him. "Yugi!" Yami said softly, yet urgently, as he shook the boy gently.

Yugi groaned as he opened his eyes, causing Yami's heart to jump and a smile to appear on his face. "Hi..." he began "Where? Where are we?"

"I don't know little one." Yami replied regretfully. "I really don't know."

As he sat up, Yugi looked around at the surroundings, before realizing that he did not know who the teen above him was. He stopped what he was doing, propping himself up on his arms and looking up at Yami's face. "I... I don't know who you are."

While Yugi spoke, Yami looked him over quickly to make sure he was okay. "I'm Yami." The crimson-eyed teen mumbled distractedly. "You're not hurt are you?" Continuing with his inspection, Yami lifted one of Yugi's bare arms, gasping mildly at the sight.

Yugi looked down in shame but did nothing as Yami gaped at hi arm. "These are new!" Yami cried, tracing the two new lacerations lightly with his fingertips. "And where did these others come from?"

Pulling his arm away, Yugi stood, hugging himself for comfort. "I made them," Yugi replied in a nearly-inaudible tone of voice.

The crimson eyes of Yami blinked, unsure of what the boy had said. "What?!" he exclaimed.

Yugi cleared his throat before replying, "I made them."

**~Give unto me your troubles~**

"Why, Yugi?"

Yugi spun around to face the older boy, anger rising to his cheeks. "No! 'Why' to you!" the boy screamed. "Why do you know my name? How do you know my name?! Why did you risk yourself to save a pathetic person like me?" Tears that he had been trying to hold back fell freely from his eyes.

Yami, still on his knees, stuttered, trying to make a response that Yugi would buy. _'I can't tell him the truth. It could scare him and drive him away.'_ He looked at the boy's crying face, upon which fear, sadness, and determination dwelled within his rich purple orbs. A sigh escaped him as he knew what he had to do. "I know your name because I've been watching you." He looked down at the grass beneath him and ran a hand through his tri-colored hair. Yugi gawked.

"You've been... watching me?" Yugi asked, stunned, while turning this over in his mind.

Yami nodded his head yes, somewhat ashamed to be admitting this. "Yes. You come into the Coffee Bean every day when I am there. I heard you talking to your white-haired friend- what was his name again? Oh yes, Ryou. Last night (or maybe it is still tonight, I don't know) I heard him call you Yugi and you call him Ryou."

"But I... I've never seen you." Yugi's tears had slowed now and his face was now screwed up in confusion.

"I know." Yami's head lifted to watch Yugi once more. "I'm always there before you and leave after you."

"Why would you want to watch me though?" Yugi's crying almost stopped now.

Shrugging, Yami answered Yugi as best he could. "When I first saw you, I thought nothing of the similarities in our appearances. But when you came back the next day and sat in the same spot, it intrigued me. Your eyes held so many emotions, and you always just sat there, as if doing anything other than drinking your tea would hurt."

Yugi stared blankly at a space in front of Yami. This new knowledge was overwhelming and he needed to process it through and around his brain. He still couldn't understand why this man had saved him. "But still..." he started hesitantly. "Why would you put yourself in danger for me?"

"Because, little one, you are important. I can sense something from you every day in the café. I don't know what it is, but I know it means that you are worth something." The crimson-eyed boy stood up and crossed the space between him and Yugi. Now it was Yugi's turn to look down once more. Yami reached out and took the smaller teen's arm in his gentle and caring hands. As he stared at the soft and scarred underside of Yugi's arm, he traced every cut delicately. "Oh tenshi. Can't you see? You deserve so much more than this!"

**~I'll endure all your suffering~**

The small boy's amethyst eyes opened wide in surprise before overflowing with tears. His eyes shut and his body racked with sobs. Covering his face with his hands, he leaned into Yami, his head on the taller boy's chest. Yami's arms automatically wrapped around Yugi in a comforting and protective gesture. The boy with lightning strikes in his hair felt a change in weight as Yugi's knees gave out on him. With Yami supporting the smaller boy, they sunk down to their knees where Yami rocked slightly.

"Shhh..." Yami soothed. "It's okay, tenshi. It will all be okay."

~Place onto me your burden~

They felt it at the same time; a minor tug inside of them, trying to pull them reality though they did not realize it.

"Yugi," Yami whispered. Yugi leaned further into Yami, protesting the pull of awareness. "Tenshi, we have to go. Do you feel it?" Yugi nodded, though he did not want to acknowledge that he knew it. The pull increased to a pleasant, yet somewhat painful force. Releasing the boy, Yami pulled back, giving into the sensation. His solid form began to dissolve while going back. Missing Yami's warmth, the boy reached out desperately, much like a needy child. Panic was etched into every line of his face.

"Yami!" Yugi screamed. "Yami please don't leave me!"

"It's okay, little tenshi." By this time Yami had realized that the pull was to wake him up, and that this was all occurring in the land of temporary rest. "Wake up, Yugi. You'll be fine. Yugi, it's time to wake up."

"Yami!" Yugi's last cry was in vain as Yami disappeared from the dream. Yugi stubbornly refused to awaken until he was too caught up in crying to care to hold on anymore.

_'Please, Yami... Please...'_

**~I'll drink your deadly poison~**


	5. A Note

I'm sorry I haven't updated! I have severe writer's block! I had planned to get the chapter up before I go on this trip, but that didn't happen so... Okay. I'm going to Wisconsin for the next two weeks. Hopefully when I get back the chapter will be done and I can upload it then. I'm sorry! Thank you for reading and reviewing it and being constructive or something! Yeah! Thanks! Sorry again!


	6. Tenshi

**Authoress Note: **Um... Ooopsies? *nervous laughter* Uh... The naked mole rats did it! It's their fault I haven't uploaded! Um... Yeah...

**Another Note:** Okay, you have found me out. The naked mole rats didn't do it. I just lost interest in this fic. It's never happened before and I never thought it could happen (cuz, yes, I am naïve, or something like that) but it did and now all I can ask for is your forgiveness. Yeah... Hi?

**Disclaimer: **As much as I want to own Yu-Gi-Oh and Evanescence and all things pertaining to both of the aforementioned thingies, I don't. *bawls* I do, however own this plot. SO THERE! OH YEAH! Apparently the Coffee Bean is a real place (musta seen it but never really ever paid attention, you know? There's one right by my sister's work, so... yeah...) and I don't own that either!

**Summary: **AUYugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami gets in over his head with his little fascination? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter V: Tenshi**

Yami awoke around ten o'clock on that crisp Saturday morning. The dream had made yesterday seem like an eternity ago. He knew it was not long ago at all. He knew that he had killed that man not much longer before he woke up. He knew he should do something about those men, but he could not. The deaths haunted him as he went about his day, not doing much more than playing video games and watching TV.

The scarlet-eyed teen welcomed the three hour, forty-five minute time gratefully, for this was the time that he started for the Coffee Bean. Grabbing his jacket he went out the door to head to the café. The walk was always pleasant; not too long and not too short. When he reached the café, Yami bought his coffee and sat in his usual seat. Not expecting him for another ten minutes, at least, Yami was surprised to see Yugi burst through the entrance a mere six minutes after he sat down.

Watching closely, the crimson eyes of Yami noticed that the smaller teen appeared to be searching for something- or someone. Apparently not finding what he wanted, he sighed dejectedly, placing a bundle of papers under his arm and stepping up to the counter to order. The woman behind the counter smiled as she took his order, then placed Yugi's tea in from of him with a sweet "Have a nice day!" The small teen thanked her and shuffled to his booth.

Deciding hemight as well speak up now, Yami made his presence known.

"What should we do now?"

Yugi, who was about to sit down, jumped at the voice, eyes flying to Yami's corner. 'Why hadn't I seen him there before? It's kind of dark over there, but it's not horrible...' Mentally shrugging away the thought, Yugi hurried over to where his near-double sat. Setting his drink on the table he slammed himself into the seat. "Look," he said in a soft urgent voice. The small teen boy took the papers out from under his arm and showed them to Yami.

The brows above the crimson eyes of Yami furrowed. The headline of the newspaper in front of him read 'Man Found Dead in Domino Park.' Yami sat in silence reading the first bit of the article. An uneasy Yugi could not wait long before speaking again. "They found him. The article says that someone was on their way to work really early this morning and he saw the body; the one in the park..."

Crimson eyes flew up to meet amethyst orbs. "I didn't mean to kill him, tenshi. I don't even know how it happened."

Yugi, unsure of what to say to that, spat out the first thing that came to mind. "The paper said he died of unknown causes, as of yet, though they think his heart may have exploded because they found blood that came from his ears, eyes, and nose."

Yami winced visibly before gulping from his coffee mug. "Did they say if there was any evidnce of who could've done it?"

Yugi shook his head. "No. All they found was a knife encrusted with blood in the man's jacket. I think he was either too drunk or too scared to get rid of it." Yami took another drink of his coffee while Yugi sipped his tea. They drank in silence until both drinks were nearly gone. Yami read and re-read the article while Yugi's amethyst eyes fastened on their owner's hands in their usual manner. Finally, Yugi spoke.

"That wasn't a dream last night, was it?"

Sighing, the taller teen replied carefully. "No. It couldn't have been. It was too real. Besides, both of us had it." Yugi's hand jumped to pull his sleeves down to mid-palm. Yami took hold of Yugi's left hand- the one from the 'dream'- in both of his before Yugi could pull the sleeve further down on it. "Yugi... Tenshi..." Lavender eyes filled with tears as they fixed upon the crimson orbs before him.

**~Fear not the flame of my love's candle~**

"Why do you do this to yourself?" Sadness and concern penetrated the scarlet depths of Yami's eyes.

Silent tears were released as Yugi's eyes moved to his and Yami's hands. "Be- Because it-" he began in a stutter. "Because it hurts."

"What hurts, Tenshi? I don't understand!"

Yugi sniffled and closed his eyes. "Everything... But this." He lifted his head to face Yami once more, his eyes still releasing salty tears.

Yami released the boy's hand, dug out money to put on the table as a tip, then took Yugi's hand again as he stood up. Yugi stood with him, seeing as how his hand was held captive by the taller teen. "Come on. It's still light out, let me walk you home."

**~Let it be the sun in your world of darkness~**

Yami led the way out of the Coffee Bean, after which Yugi took over, turning left like the night before. The crimson-eyed teen knew of nothing else he could say to the weeping boy, making the walk to Yugi's house quiet. They navigated the winding streets hand-in-hand to the Game Shop where Yugi lived, which was in the opposite direction of yami's house. The shop, however, was only thirteen blocks from the café instead of Yami's nineteen.

Yami's questions of how Yugi could be attacked so early in the evening with no one around were answered. Nobody lived in the run down broken buildings around the alleyway, and few liked to be around it in the dark. Occupied houses did not appear until about three blocks from the shop.

They reached the shop before night had fallen. As Yugi unlocked the door, Yami voiced his thoughts. "I should probably be going now. Unless, of course, you rather I stayed." Yugi's head jolted up, his eyes big, pleading, and red from crying.

"No!" the petite teen objected. "Please don't go! I'm scared! I don't want to be alone!" Tears which had stopped coming shortly after their departure from the café threatened to fall once more.

Yami gathered the boy up in a hug, in a half-attempt to keep him from crying. One arm encircled his small waist, while the other reached up in order for its hand to rest on Yugi's head. Yami murmured what he could think of as a means of comfort. "Sh... Tenshi... I'll stay. I'm here. Everything will be fine. I promise. Sh... I'm not going anywhere."

**~Give unto me all that frightens you~**

Yugi's spiky head nodded into Yami's chest. Sobs now shook his frame, though he made not a sound. After a moment he pulled away sniffing softly and went inside, Yami following close behind. He led them- consciously or not- to the back of the shop where the "living room" was located. Reaching the brown couch, Yugi sat carefully on the center cushion, Yami sitting to his right. Seeing that Yugi did not know what to do after this point, Yami pulled the boy into his chest, causing Yugi to be in a near laying down position. The boy was exhausted- he could tell- and now all he really needed was rest and silence, so silent is how Yami stayed. Yami's smooth, even breathing and Yugi's shaky breathing was the only noise for quite a while. 

Even breathing from the small creature on his chest informed Yami that his tenshi had fallen into rest. He smiled softly to himself, closing his eyes and leaning his head on the back of the couch. Time seemed to slow down- or maybe stop all together- while the dark and the light lay there in comfort.

A soft muttering and jerking woke up the older teen. How much time had passed, he was unsure. Looking down at the boy now on his lap, he found him jerking slightly and muttering something to himself. Yami smiled as he stroked the boy's hair. As Yugi's jerking and muttering turned to thrashing and screaming, Yami's face changed from happy and peaceful to worried and alarmed.

"No! Onegai! Don't do this! Onegai! No! Yameru!"[1] Yugi yelled as he thrashed. Not wanting the boy to injure himself in his rant, Yami grabbed his failing wrists. This just seemed to scare the sleeping boy more. "ONEGAI! YAMERU! Please don't do this!" Tears leaked from his eyes and fell down his pale face.

"Yugi!" Yami near-screamed. "Yugi! Wake up, Tenshi! Wake up!" He released the captive wrists to latch onto the boy's shoulders and shook slightly. "Tenshi! Wake up!" Yugi's hands flew up to protect his face from whatever it is he dreamt of. "YUGI!"

The thrashing ceased as amethyst eyes flew open and darted around the room, finally resting on the ruby orbs of Yami. He breathed deeply and quickly, almost hyperventilating, as he shot himself up into a sitting position. Eyes full of pain and fear he turned to Yami and flung himself at the taller teen, arms encircling his neck. The arms of Yami wrapped around Yugi's small waist, holding him carefully. Surprisingly, the amethyst orbs leaked no tears as he clung to his life size mirror.

"Y-Yami..." Soft lips uttered quietly.

"Sh... You're awake. You're okay." Yami rocked slightly with the bundle in his arms.

"It was them... They... They..." Voice breaking, the boy found it no longer in him to try to describe his dream.

"I know, Tenshi. They can't hurt you now." Oh how he wanted to take away this little one's pain.

**~I'll have your nightmares for you~**

Silence. And then...

"Yami?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

Yami pulled out of the hug to look into Yugi's big purple eyes. "For what, my light?"[2]

Blushing mildly at the possessive 'my,' Yugi answered, "Just... Everything."

Yami smiled at the boy's cuteness, pulling him back into the hug. "You're welcome, Tenshi. Always welcome. Sleep now. You need it."

Smiling into Yami's shoulder, Yugi nodded and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to come to him.

Yami kissed the forehead of the boy in his arms. _'Sleep deeply, little one. Sleep deeply.'_ Yami, too, closed his eyes, falling back into the oblivion of sleep.

**~If you sleep soundly~**

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

[1]-      Onegai= Please

            Yameru= Stop

[2]- Okay, so they aren't exactly a hikari/yami deally (there aren't any millennium items in this fic so it just really doesn't work) but Yami figures that because Yugi is so pure and innocent that he is a light. Yupyupyup. And because Yami is more, um... not innocent (i.e. he killed a guy for crying out loud! intentional or not, that makes him not innocent) he thinks of himself as a darkness. Yeah. Something like that. *big cheesy grin*

**Authoress end notes:** Okay. I'm officially pissed off at this fic. It got totally repetitive (Yugi kept crying and they kept sleeping and Yami kept calling Yugi 'Tenshi') and completely annoying. I must remember to shoot Byron (my muse. He may be pretty but DAMN this idea sucked!) *sighs* I'm sorry if I disappointed any of you in even the slightest bit. I guess Yami/Yugi angst just isn't my thing. I'll stick with Bakura/Ryou angst from here on out. *nods with finality*

**Another Authoress End Note:** Don't worry! This is not the end! I still have two more lines of lyrics to go. I'm **_SO_** dreadfully sorry that this took so damn long! I still blame the naked mole rats...


	7. Tired

**Authoress Note: **DAMNIT!I intended for this to be last fucking chapter of _Let Me Save You_, but it didn't fucking work!! I have probably two more planned out (though one is really short.) I'm so damn sorry for the long wait! I just... Ran out of the time and inspiration to write. Anyway, stay tuned for the rest, which WILL be out shortly, even if it kills me! Thank you ever so much for reading this! Anyway... I hint at humor in this chapter (at least in the beginning) but it probably won't be funny after this one. Okay, I've probably said too much already. READ!

**Disclaimer: **I own nothin'. If you try to sue me I will counter sue you on the basis that you are an idiot.

**Summary: **AUYugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami gets in over his head with his little fascination? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who has ever bothered to read this, and a double thank you to everyone who has taken their time to review it. You have no idea how much your comments mean to me, or how much they brighten my day. Thanks so much!

****

**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter VI: Tired**

Sunday was spent lazing about the Game Shop. Yami opted to stay with his little light to ensure that he would be alright. There was no doubt in his mind that Yugi would be perfectly safe and fine without him, but after the events of the last two days, he decided not to take any chances. Yami, with the exception of yesterday, typically woke up around 7:30 or 8:00 o'clock. Yugi slept until around 11:00 today, which did not surprise the crimson-eyed teen for some odd reason.

During the time that Yugi slept and Yami was awake, Yami wandered around the house part of the Kame Game Shop. In his meandering, he discovered a bathroom connecting with Yugi's bedroom, a small kitchen, a living room type area, and another bedroom. However, when he discovered the other bedroom, the fact that it was a bedroom was unknown to him and he walked in to find a very asleep old man who was just barely covered with a sheet. He made a mental note to ask Yugi who he was when the boy awoke. Another mental note was made to inform him to never enter that room again. Out of things to do, the teen decided to try to cook breakfast. He had a run in with a half-empty carton of eggs when he tried to put them away, and, sadly, the carton succeeded in escaping his grasp and fell to the floor. None of its contents survived. Luckily, everything else went smoothly, and by the time that his light was awake, the table was set for three, and Yami was on his way to wake up the boy.

While they ate, Yami made a point of finding out who the near-naked man in the room was. Yugi giggled when he heard the story of how Yami was so unfortunate as to discover such a find.

"That's my grandpa!" the boy managed over his laughter. "Sugoroku Mutou, my dad's dad. I've been living with him for as long as I can remember, but I must say that nothing like that has ever happened to me!"

Yami's face tinted pink as he took a very long drink from his orange juice. A few quiet minutes passed before Sugoroku came tripping down the stairs into the kitchen.

"Do I smell bacon?"

"Yes, Grandpa. Yami already made you a plate." Yugi looked up and answered his grandpa before diving back into his omelet.

"Yami?" Sugoroku looked from his grandson to his guest, obviously confused. "Yugi, who is Yami and why does this boy look so much like you?"

Spiky hair bobbed as Yugi looked up once more to reply. "'This boy' is Yami, and I don't know why he looks so much like me. He's my friend."

Yami nodded in acknowledgment. "Pleased to meet you, sir."

"Same to you, but formalities are not accepted in this house. Call me Grandpa." Sugoroku said as he took a seat in front of Yugi and next to Yami. He then, suddenly, became completely absorbed in his breakfast.

"Okay, um... Grandpa..." Yami replied nervously.

Yami looked over at Yugi who smiled at him in that "Ha-ha-you-just-got-told" sort of way before Yugi leant over to Yami and whispered to him. "Grandpa doesn't talk when he eats. He thinks it waists his jaw's energy."

"So I see..." Yami replied with interest as he watched the gray-haired man scarf down his meal.

Yami's crimson orbs lingered upon the breakfast plate in front of the elderly man, taking in the sight of the cheese-bacon-and-sausage omelet disappearing from the plate. His thoughts on how a slow old man could shovel food so quickly from his plate to his mouth quickly evaporated from his mind as Yugi addressed him.

"Did you sleep fine last night?" the small teen boy felt somewhat ashamed that he forced the older boy to stay with him through the night. He kept his face clear of any emotion, though inside himself he pleaded for Yami to not be angry or annoyed with him. In all actuality, Yugi had nothing to fear or be concerned about. Yami enjoyed spending time with Yugi as much as Yugi enjoyed the comfort of Yami's presence.

Yami couldn't clearly remember why he lived on his own though he was merely a teen, but he knew it had something to do with his parents not being able to stand the sight of him. He reminded his mother of his father and his father of his mother, and they hated each other so much- for some reason or another- that they neither would take him when they divorced so they sent him off to live on his own. He was well provided for, seeing as how they both sent generous sums of money each month, but he got lonely at times. He rarely attended school anymore and most people see him as having a cold exterior which disinclines them to talk to him. These past two-and-one-half/almost-three days that he had been with Yugi had been the most time he had spent with anyone in the past five months.

The elder boy smiled a genuine smile. Yugi noticed the sincerity of that smile when he saw it reach up and swirl around in the scarlet depths before him. Oh, it's not that Yami's other smiles were not sincere, it's just that this particular smile seemed to hold more meaning and feeling that any of his others.

"I slept great, and you?"

Yami watched on as his tenshi bit into another forkful of his omelet, and he suddenly remembered something that he had been meaning to tell the boy in front of him. "Oh, Yugi." The spiky head bobbed up to watch Yami as he spoke. "I used the last of the eggs and cheese to make breakfast, and you're also down to about a glass of milk left."

Yugi nodded while grinning. "Okay. We'll just go to the market after breakfast. It shouldn't take too long, and I have to get other stuff anyway." Yami nodded and continued eating. Neither of them could think of anything else to talk about while they ate, so all they heard through the remainder of breakfast was the scraping of utensils on dishes and other various breakfast-time noises.

In due course, Sugoroku wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood up from the table. "Ah thank you- Yami, is it?" Yami nodded that the man had the correct name. "Yes, thank you Yami. You boys needed to go to the store?" The two nodded, as their mouths were full of food. "Okay then. Yugi, you know where my wallet is so just get some money out of there and you can be on your way. I'll stay here and clean up after the meal."

"Okay Grandpa," Yugi agreed and stood up to go to his Grandpa's room. He came back moments later as Yami was lifting their plates from the table to load into the sink. "Let's go!"

Sugoroku bid them farewell and out they went. Yugi filled the silence of the walk with mindless chatter, which most likely came from nervousness. One would never guess by his attitude the events of the previous days. He bounced about like a hyper child, talking about birds and trees and the flowers they saw on the way. Yami, not knowing what the correct response to any of this babbling would be, just smiled, laughed, and nodded. When they reached the store, Yugi listed off what they needed and decided that they could get done faster if they split up. Yami agreed to Yugi's idea hesitantly, but did not argue and Yugi's excitement prohibited him from seeing the older teen's blatant discomfort.

"Okay, so if you will get two gallons of milk, the bananas, apples, and broccoli, then I will go get the cereal, bread, eggs, juice, and cheese."

Yami took mental note of his items and answered. "That sounds fine. We'll meet back here in ten minutes, okay?"

"Will do!" Yugi squealed happily before he bounced off to get his items.

Throughout his search for the items, Yami was in some form of shock- to say the least- at Yugi's alacrity for everything today. He picked up and hand basket and headed off towards the dairy section for the milk.

_'There was no alcohol_ [1]_ in the house, so nothing could have fallen into his eggs...'_

****

Yugi began his mission with getting the eggs. He noticed as they were walking to the store that he was unusually upbeat and chipper for all that had been happening, but he had dismissed it as nervousness. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to act now, even though he knew that just those two days shouldn't make him change himself. Shrugging his thoughts away again, he kept his happy front up and bounced along the aisles for the eggs. Soon he found himself getting his last item- the bread. Upon his arrival in that aisle, Yugi found he was not tall enough to reach the kind of bread that they always had in his house. Deciding to just go for it, he set down his basket and took a jump and reached as high as he could for the bread, and he grasped it and brought it down on his second try. However, landing caused him some difficulty and he stumbled and fell backwards into a pair of teen boys that he would soon recognize as seniors from his high school.

"Ah!" He exclaimed as he jumped away from the bigger of the two who he had knocked into the stand he was facing. "Gomen nasai!"

The senior pushed himself off the wall and straightened himself. Back facing toward Yugi, he straightened his jacket and shrugged his shoulders as if to shake off anger or annoyance before he turned to confront Yugi. The amethyst eyes of Yugi looked on fearfully, as he was too surprised to move. When the biggest of the three teens present turned around, purple eyes widened then quickly fell to the floor as he hung his head.

"Gomen nasai, Dai-san! Gomen nasai, Matsuo-san! [2]" Yugi hurried to get his apology out to hopefully quell their tempers. The spiky-haired teen did not know them well, but they had a run-in once before and Yugi ended up robbed and beaten. He avoided them from then on, but around his school's campus they were infamous for having violent tempers that went off in seconds.

"Kusoyaro! [3] What the fuck do you think you were doing?!" Dai cursed at Yugi. Not only was his voice deep, but it was loud and husky, sounding somewhat like gravel rubbed against sand-paper. It was not exactly unpleasant to listen to, nor was it pleasing to the ears, but it served its purposes.

"I'm sorry!" Yugi panicked. "I really didn't mean to! I couldn't reach the bread so I had to jump and when I landed I fell back and-"

"Shut up!" Dai interrupted, slapping Yugi's face in the process. Small hands flew to hold the abused cheek as amethyst eyes began to drown. The salty liquid fell from his eyes down his face, ignoring the efforts he made to hold them back.

"Aw," Dai mocked the boy, cocking his head to one side and putting on a face of sarcastic concern. "Did that hurts?" Yugi's silence was taken as a 'yes,' and the teen smirked. "Let me give you something to take your mind off that pain."

A fist connected with Yugi's stomach, sending him to the floor whimpering and doubled over in pain.

Looking at the crumpled form on the floor, the large teen stepped closer and threatened, "You better pray to whatever god you got that we don't see you again in a long time." The brute gave his friend a nod and they walked off, each one smirking at their 'success.'

Yugi forced himself to stand and stop crying as soon as they were gone. His stomach ached from the blow, but, ignoring it, he forced a smile back on his face, picked up his basket and his bread (which was miraculously undamaged), and set off to the front of the store to meet Yami.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, he reassured himself. _'I'll be fine. Perfectly fine.'_

****

'Check... check... check... check-check... Got it all.' Yami carefully went over his part of the small list in his head as he stood at the front of the store waiting for Yugi. Considering Yugi's behavior today, Yami half-expected to see him bouncing back holding every fluffy happy thing in the store. What he did not expect to see was Yugi shuffling towards him with just a small smile on his face. Shifting the basket to his other hand, Yami started over to him.

Smiling, he greeted his smaller counterpart. "Hey! You all ready?"

Slowly Yugi began to nod, gradually lifting his face from the ground to his new-found friend and confident. "Yeah..." he replied while forming a smile on his mouth.

Concern creased the older boy's forehead. "Are you okay? You seem a little... distracted."

"Huh?" Yugi started. "Oh. Oh yeah. I'm fine. Just tired." He forced his grin just a little bigger.

Yami laughed. "All that skipping around can do that to you." He regarded the smaller boy before him carefully.

_'I guess he's just tired. It would make sense.'_

"Let's pay for this stuff and get back, then. I don't want you to collapse from exhaustion." The red-eyed boy laughed at his half-joke, hoping to cheer up his tenshi.

"Yeah," Yugi chuckled. "Let's go."

_'Yup. Just tired.'_ Yugi repeated to himself.

They stood in the short express line, paid for the items, and left the store. Though the walk home was quiet, it was fine enough. Well, for Yami anyway. Yugi could not think of anything other than his history of bullies.

_'Why do they pick on me?' _he cried to himself. _'There are tons of other people around, so why is it always only me? I'm so sick of it all! Every year, every week, every day! They never have a reason, so why do they do it?!'_

Meanwhile...

_'Today is a nice day...'_ Yami decided after listening to a bird sing for a while. _'Hm... That's a nice lookin' dog. Someday I too shall have a dog. Why? I don't know. Just want one, I guess.'_ He heard the teen beside him emit a soft sigh, and his thoughts were diverted. _'Is he really just tired? It could make sense... [4]'_ He shook his spiky head at himself quickly. _'Yami! Just leave it alone! He said he was tired, so that's all it is! Trust him!'_

They reached the shop just after he finished his silent argument, though Yugi was still yelling at himself silently. Walking inside, they set the groceries on the counter and Yugi found a note from his grandpa.

_Yugi and Yami,_

_I've gone to see a friend for a while. I'll be home later tonight, and Yami is more than welcome to spend the night again._

_Love,_

_Grandpa_

"Oh," Yugi exclaimed as best he could with a small tired voice. "Grandpa went to visit a friend of his. You can stay over again, if you want..." Yugi trailed off, hoping that the taller teen would stay.

"Sounds good!" Yami replied from inside the refrigerator. A spiky-tri-colored head popped out and grabbed the cheese to stick inside the cold box. "What should we do tonight?" Yami asked as he once more popped inside the fridge.

The smaller of the two boys grinned, grateful that the taller one had chosen to stay. "I don't know, really. There isn't much to do."

Yami emerged completely from the refrigerator and looked around thoughtfully. "Well, you're tired so it shouldn't involve the use of too much energy..." He thought for a moment, one hand on his chin, the other folded over his chest. An idea finally came to him. "I know! We could watch movies! You like movies, right?"

"Of course I do," Yugi answered, somewhat distractedly as he put away the cereal. "What did you have in mind?"

"I have no idea. Something fun! [5]"

"Okay. Follow me and you can pick one out that we can watch." Yugi led the way to where the movies were kept in the living room.

After a thorough inspection, Yami apparently found something. They watched six movies, all the while Yami expected Yugi to fall asleep at any random minute.

After the sixth movie, Yami once more inspected the selection. "Haha! You have that one funny American movie!"

Puzzled, Yugi scrunched up his nose and went over to Yami. "Which 'funny American movie'?"

"This one!" Yami threw his arms up to Yugi's face, and in his hands was a copy of _Braveheart_ [6].

"What?" Yugi asked. "This isn't a funny movie... It's sad... Or maybe it's happy. There's mixed emotions in there."

"No, trust me. It's hilarious!"

"Okay..." The short boy took the movie and popped it into the VCR.

"Ha! This is gonna be great!" Yami plopped back down on the couch and beckoned Yugi to come sit next to him. He rejoined his taller image right after putting in the tape. "Just you wait," Yami reassured him. "This is going to crack you up."

Yami was asleep within forty-five minutes into it.

_'Wow.'_ Yugi thought while looking at his friend. _'He_ _got loopy just like me. I wonder why we did that...'_

_Stupid, pathetic, annoying._

Yugi turned around, looking for the source of the words.

_Nobody wants you._

It was then that Yugi acknowledged the voice was his own in his mind. He jumped up and started pacing the shop, getting further away from Yami with each step he took.

_'I know they don't want me. But maybe Yami...'_

_No. Nobody. Not even this one who you think will make everything okay. He'll end up just like all those others. He'll forget about you, he'll leave. He won't care._

Tears try to force their way to Yugi's eyes, but they would not come. He was dry and had nothing left to cry. He choked as he whispered, "It's true... He couldn't possibly want to stay with me. Nobody could..."

_Now you see the truth._

Yugi turned and ran up to his room as silently as possible. He raced in and threw his door shut, resting on it and panting softly. "They don't want me. I can't live like this any more!"

The spiky-haired short boy walked around his room, searching his mind for what he should do. In mid-step he stopped, looked up, and paused. Suddenly he darted out of his room and into his grandfather's bathroom. Flinging open the medicine cabinet, Yugi thought of what could help.

_Everything._

Yugi obeyed the voice and grabbed every bottle of medicine in the cabinet. He had no idea what was in any of the bottles he took, but he figured that there was no way they could not hurt him if he took them all. Clutching all seven bottles he ran back to his room and into the bathroom adjoined to it. The seven containers were thrown into the sink, and Yugi braced himself against it. He looked up into the mirror.

_Stupid._

The teen lost it and threw his fist into the mirror, sending shards over the floor and cracks throughout the whole of it. Staring at his broken reflection, he smiled. 'This is the last time... The last time I'll have to face myself."

He opened his first bottle. He downed half of its contents of blue-colored capsules before he remembered something. Walking back into his room, he grabbed a pen and two pieces of paper. His heart spilled out onto the papers, and when he was done he folded them and wrote names on the surfaces. The sheets were placed carefully on his bed where they were sure to be seen.

With that, he walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

****

[1]- Well isn't Yami just snoopy little bastard! Knowing that there was absolutely no alcohol in the entire house must mean he inspected it quite thoroughly! Lol!

[2]- I suck at making up names, so I thought of two from... YuYu Hakusho, I believe (I'm a thief! WhOOt!). Anyway, please just ignore the names, or call them something else (whatever you do, don't think of the people in YuYu Hakusho because this is NOT a crossover ficcie thing and they weren't meant to be those people. I just needed names! sobs). These characters aren't all that important anyway.

[3]- Kursoyaro= little shit (gasp!)

[4]- Yami: But we've been sleeping for this whole damn story!

DarkOpalDragon: shifty, nervous eyes It's not my fault. Blame the naked mole rats. It's always worked for me... runs away

[5]- I guess Yami is having a Yugi moment. (He's being hyper and weird. Not typical for his character. I guess he's trying to wake Yugi up or something.)

[6]- I couldn't think of anything else, and I just watched it the other day. 'Tis one of my favorite movies! WhOOt! (I bet you're getting sick of these numbered interruptions, huh?)


	8. Letters

**Authoress Note: **Okay, second to last chapter. Please please please please please forgive me for taking so long.I have no excuse, other than I ran out of inspiration. Anyway, this is really short, but it's intentionally so. I couldn't tie it with the other chapters, so I had to make three instead of the one I originally wished to make.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothin'. If you try to sue me I will counter sue you on the basis that you are an idiot.

**Summary: **AUYugi and Yami do not know each other, but they've both been going to the same café. Yami has been watching Yugi and is learning all about him. What happens when Yami gets in over his head with his little fascination? Songfic to Evanescence's "Give Unto Me"

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who has ever bothered to read this, and a double thank you to everyone who has taken their time to review it. You have no idea how much your comments mean to me, or how much they brighten my day. Thanks so much!

IT'S ALMOST DONE!!!

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Let Me Save You**

**Chapter VII: Letters**

The teen on the couch jerked awake. He woke up just enough to notice that Yugi was not with him anymore and that the TV was turned off.

_'He must have gotten too tired and went upstairs to his room.'_ Yami concluded, and he began his journey upstairs, tripping on the first one. _'Crap!'_

He reached the room with no more problems from the stairs and noticed that the bed was empty and the bathroom light was on. Stumbling in the dimness of the room, Yami managed to find a lamp next to the bed and he turned it on. Crimson eyes landed almost immediately on the two pieces of paper on the bed. One read "Yami" while the other read "Grandpa" and the confused boy picked up the one with his name. Nimble fingers unfolded the crisp piece of paper and the blood-red eyes fell upon the neat script on the lines.

_Dear Yami,_

_            I bet you're wondering what the hell happened, right? Maybe you're wondering why I did this. I guess I'll never know for sure what your thoughts are though. Honestly, if you look at things from my point of view, you'll see that this was my best course of action. Let's look at the facts: My parents died when I was young, but I was old enough by that time to understand what happened and for it to haunt me for the rest of my life. I've been picked on and beaten by random bullies since I was in the first grade, and my only solitude is when I'm locked up safe in my room, but even then their words attack me. Nobody has ever even tried to become my friend, or even given me a chance when I tried to make friends with them, so I've been alone my whole life, other than Grandpa. And now... Now I've found someone- you- who has befriended me and been there for me longer than anyone else ever has, other than my grandpa, but I know that it won't last. It couldn't. You can't stick around someone like me. Nobody ever has, so nobody ever will. You would just end up leaving. I don't blame you either. If I had the chance I would leave me. Actually, that's what I'm doing now. No, I don't think I've ever really been planning to do this, it just kind of happened today. I know I told you in the grocery store that I was just tired, and that isn't really a lie. I'm tired of everything that's always happening to me, and I'm tired of being hurt, and I'm tired of doing nothing. So now is my chance to do something, and I'm taking it. I'm sorry that I have to do this now, and that I have to leave you so suddenly, but it just means that you will get to go back to your real life sooner, so it's a win-win situation, I guess. I know we haven't known each other that long, but I love you for the happiness you have brought me as long as we have known each other. Thank you, for everything._

_                                                                                                Love,_

_                                                                                                    Yugi_

Knees gave out and legs became jelly. He fell to a sitting position on the bed and re-read the note. When he was sure of what it said, his fear-covered face flew to the bathroom door. The teen struggled to stand up and forced his way to the bathroom, afraid of what he might find in there. The opening of the door revealed an unconscious heap on the bathroom flew and sent Yami down on his knees.

"Yugi!" he cried as he leant quickly down to check if the boy was breathing. His hikari was still alive, but his breath was shallow and his heartbeat faint. Eyes darted around the room and hands flew to pick up the nearest medicine bottle out of the eight he detected. Jumping up, he ran as fast as possible to the phone downstairs in the kitchen and called 911. Finished explaining the situation, the teen hung up and brought his hands up to bury his face in them.

"Oh Yugi." He whispered. "What have you done?"


End file.
